Annular take-up for sewing machines



April 21, 1931. J, R MOFFATT 1,801,360

ANNULAR TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed DSG. 17. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l lllll nlm April 2l, 1931. J. R. MOFFATT ANNULAR TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT YOFFICE JAMES MOFFATT, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, @E CHICLGO, ILLINOIS,

A CQR-ERATIII OF ILfINOIS ANNULAR TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHINES Anplication filed December 1 The invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in take-ups forsewing machines, and more particularly to a rotary talre-up for the looper threads of the sewing' machine. In my prior application Serial No. 715,421, filed May 23, 1924, I have shown, described and claimed a rotary thread controller or take-up for sewing machines wherein the members which take upV and control the thread are cylindrical, and the cam faces are formed along one of the cylinder edges. In my application Serial No. 130,954, filed August 23, 1926, I have shown, described and claimed a thread controller of the above type which is mounted on a shaft intermediate the ends thereof, and which is used for controllino' the looper threads. The present invention is directed to a thread controller of the type shown in my applications referred to, and has for an object to provide means for guiding the thread or threads so as to be engaged by the take-up or controlling cams, which means has a lined relation to the controlling cams, and which can at the saine time, be very easily threaded.

A further ob]- ect of the invention is to provide a thread guiding means for a` thread contr lling cam of the above type, wherein the thread guide located within the periphery of the controlling member is mounted so that it may be adjusted lengthwise of the shaft on which the controlling cam is mounted, and also angularly about the shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thread guiding means for a controlling cam of the above type, wherein the thread guides engaging the `thread outside of the periphery of the controlling element are adjustable in a direction transversely of the aXis of the shaft supporting the controlling element.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

n the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention- Figure l is a plan view of the parts beneath the cloth plate of a sewing machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the outer thread guide and its supporting bracket in side elevation, side elevation and the sleeve for supporting the same and the shaft for rotating the controlling cam, in section along' the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a perspectivel view of the castolf and retaining members for the controlling cam, and also the inner thread guide and the supporting means therefor;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the outer thread guides and the support therefor, and

Fig. 6 is a. detail showing more or less diagrammatically the position of the taire-up cams at the time when the loopers are beginning their forward motion.

The invention is directed to a thread controlling means for the looperlthreads of a sewing machine. The thread controlling means includes a main actuating shaft on which is mounted a thread controlling cam. The thread controlling cam is in the form of two cylindrical members, one located within the other, and spaced therefrom. rlhese members are integral with a supporting disk which in turn issecured to an actuating shaft. The peripheral edges of the cylidrical members at the ends thereof opposite the supporting disk are cam-shaped. There is an inner thread guide for guiding the thread or threads after they leave the nipper springs, and this inner thread guide is loc-ated entirely within the inner cam member. There is also an outer supporting member having thread guides forV the thread or threads which is located outside of but close to the peripheral surface of the outer controlling cam. The threads pass through the inner thread guide and then through the outer thread guide, and these thread guides are so arranged as to hold the threads so that they will be engaged by the cam faces of the controlling elements. Located between the also showing the controlling cam in f spaced controlling cams is a cast offineniber and also a retaining member. rlhe inner thread guide and these last-named members are all mounted on a support which is attaehed to a sleeve which in turn is mounted on the shaft but held from rotation therewith. This support for the inner thread guide is adjustable both axially7 of the shaft and angularly about the shaft, so that it can be properly positioned relative to the take-up cams. The member on which. the inner thread guide is formed so shaped a.; to direct the threads into the thread guiding eye, and the thread guiding eye is so shaped as to retain the thread, even though the machine unintentionally turned in the wrong direction. The outer thread guide is carried by a support which is mounted in a bra thread guide can be adjusted angularly relative to the rotating take-up cams and properly ositioned for the controllingl of the threa s.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the improvement is shown as applied to a sewing machine which includes a bed plate 1 having a supporting standard 2 at one end thereof, which serves as a support for the cloth plate of the machine. Mounted and rotating in suitable bearings in this standard 2 and the main standard at the other end of the bed, is a shaft 3. This shaft 3 is provided with the usual adjustable crank -l at its outer end which is connected by a link to an arm 5 attached to the feed rocker G for oscillating the feed rocker and thus imparting back and forth movements to the feed bar 7 Mounted on the feed bar 7 is the usual feed dog. The feed bar is raised and lowered by an eccentric 8. AS the material is fed across the cloth late by the feeding mechanism referred to, 1t is stitched by a stitching mechanism which includes preferably three needles, and eoo erating with each needle is a looper 9. Tlhese loopers are all mounted on a carrier 10 which in turn is mounted for oscillation on a supporting stud 11 carried by a looper supporting member 12. The looper supporting member 12 is journaled in the standard 2 and an intermediate standard 13. A cam on the main shaft 3 engages the forked member 14 which is rigidly attached to a shaft carrying the looper supporting member 12. As this main shaft rotates, it will oscillate the fork 14, and this will give a needle avoiding movement to the loopers. The looper carrier is oscillated on its supporting member for moving the loopers into and out of their respective needle thread loops by means of a link 15, The feeding mechanism and the stitching mechanism are of the usual construction, and further detailed description thereof is not thought necessary. Inasmuch as there are three loopers, there are three looper threads, which are indicated at a, b and e. These looper threads pass from the supply beneath the cloth plate, and are guided by suitable pins 16 between nipper springs 17. The nipper springs 17 are closed by means of a member which is mounted on the oscillating supporting member for the loopers. After passing between the nipper springs, the threads are led to the thread guide 18. This thread guide 18 is formed in a supporting member 1f). The supporting member 19 is provided with a curved base portion 20 haring an elongated slot 9.1 therethrough. On the main shaft 3 a sleeve 22. This sleeve is freely supported on the shaft and is held from rotation with the shaft by means of a pin 23. The hase 20 is curved to conform to the sleeve as clearly shown in Fig. Q, and a screw 24 passing through the slot 21 secures the base portion 2O to the sleeve. This slot is sufliciently long and wide so that upon loosening` the screw, the member' carrying the thread guide may be adjusted in a direction lengthwise of the shaft, or may be adjusted angularly about the shaft.

After leaving the thread guide 1S, the threads pass across the thread controlling cams indicated at and QG, and thence to thread guides at the outer end of a supporting arm This supporting arm 28 is carried by a bracl-:et Q9 which is secured by screws 3() to the bed plate l of the machine. The supporting end 3l of he arm 23 is rectangular in cross section, and is secured to the bracket by a screw 32 and a washer or clamping plate 33 which rests on the upper face of the end of the arm 23 and clamps the same against the bracket. By loosening the screw the arm maj,v be adjusted in the direction of its length, and thus the thread guides 27 shifted angularly about the main shaft for a limited distance. The threads after leaving the thread guides 2i' pass to the looper-s.

The thread controlling cams and 2G are carried by a disk 3 which is provided with a hub 35, and a set screw 36 passing through the hub into the main shaft 3 secures the disk 34.- to the shaft. These controlli g cam inembers 25 and 2G are in the form of cylindrical portions, and they are located one within the other on the disk and are spaced from each other, thus forming an annular recess 3T. Each cylindrical member is cut away and shaped so as to provide take-up cams 3S for taking up the looper threads. Cooperating with these cam .members is a. cast oil member 39, and associated with the cast oil' member is a retaining member 40. This east off member and retaining member are carried by a standard l1 which is formed integral with the support 19 for the thread guide 1S. The cast oft' member extends into the recess 37 and the retaining member lies along the peripheral edges of the thread controlling cams so as to retain the threads and release the same at the proper time. By adjusting the base 20 in a direction axially of the shaft, the cast oil' member and retaining member can both be adi usted relative to the path of rotation of the controlling cams. The support 19 for the thread guide 18 is curved upwardly and extended as indicated at 42. Said portion of the support is spaced from the sleeve 22 so that the threads may be readily inserted beneath said projecting portion, and when drawn on, will be led into the eye of the thread guide l. The eye orn the thread guide i8 is, therefore, sell-threading. This thread guiding eye is shaped so that it the machine is turned unintentionally in vthe wrong direction, the thread will be retained in the eye and will not be released and wound on to the rotating parts. By shifting the supporting base 2O in a circular direction about the -aXis of the shaft carrying the sleeve on which it is mounted, the thread guide 18 is shifted as to its position, so that the timing of the taire-up cam is changed. ln other words, the take-up cam will engage the thread a little earlier or a little later, depending in which direction the thread guide is adjusted. The take-up cam rotates in timing with the looper, and therefore, the shifting of this thread guide will vary the time in which the thread is drawn onrelative to the cycle oi oscillation of the looper. This threadguide is stationary and projects Well beneath the cylindrical projecting members carrying the talre-up cams, as clearly shown in Fig. l or the drawings. The arm 28 carrying the thread guides 27 can also be adjusted as noted, and this provides another means whereby the timing of the take-up cams can be varied.

The take-up cams 38 come into engagement v-.i'ith the looper threads between these thread guides when the looper' is on its retracting movement, and it is at this time that the looper thread should be drawn taut in order that the thread running from the eyes or" the loopers to the fabric will be held substantially taut and insure the needle entering its respective thread triangle. The take-up cams 38 engaging the looper threads carry said looper threads against the inclined cast oill member 39, and the threads will ride along the inclined edge thereoi', and also along the inclined edge orI the take-up cams 38 until the threads reach the extreme outer ends ol the talle-up cams. The threads will then he carried along the retaining member 40 and cast oli into the notch 39a at the outer end ci the cast oil member 39. As the thread is carried forward and cast o in o this notch, it is carried mainly in a circumferential direction of the thread controlling element. is carried to a certain. extent atially of the .:hread controlling element, so that it can be cast oli. This circumferential movement of the thread relative to the thread controlling element enables a considerable quantity of thread to be taken up without an excessive overhang of the cylindrical portions o'l the controlling element.

l''fter the loopers leave the needle thread loops, the thread is held under gentle frictional drag control between the moving straight peripheral edges of the controlling element and the retaining member 40. s the looper begins its forward strolre, the shoulder 43 (see F ig. 6) formed by cutting away the peripheral edge of the cylindrical members of the rotating controlling element moving along the retaining member a0, will take up the looper threads and carry them back into the notch 39a. Thus it is that the looper thread is drawn back through the loopers or held from forward movement in iront oi the looper points and the loopers will slide along the looper threads and the points ot the loopers ent-er into their respective needle thread loops. This prevents slack thread forming in iront of the points ot' the loopers, which Anight force the needle thread loops to one side and cause a skipping of stitches. After the looper points are Well into the needle thread loops, then the shoulders l coming opposite the notch 39a will release the looper thread and the looper thread will be merely held by the Aitrictional drag ol the retaining member 40 on the looper thread. The loopers moving on to the forward ends of their strokes, require 'thread to form their thread loops, and this is given up to the loopers by the looper threads sliding along the straight peripheral edge of the rotating controlling element, but subject to the rictional drag stated.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a thread controlling element which rotates, and which is provided with laterally projecting cylindrical surfaces, which overhang the shaft on which the controlling element is mounted, and the thread is directed to the controlling elementby thread guides located one within and one without the periphery of the thread engaging surface on the thread controlling member. The thread guides associated with this thread controlling element are rigidly held in their set positions and at the same time may be readily threaded. This rigid setting of the thread guides is very important, as any shifting ot the guides changes the eilective controlling action on the looper threads,

hile T have shown and described my improved take-up as used in connection with the looper threads of a sewing machine, it will be understood, of course,that it may be used as the thread controlling element for the needle threads. While I have also described the thread talreaip member as having two spaced cylindrical flanges, it is understood that a single flange might be used.

lt is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts ymay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

i' controlling"member'mounted ouV s:

Having thus described the invention, what I clailn as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. In a sewing machhu'f.y a shaft,

and having laterally projectingr cyr members overhanging the i ft, the fue pe ripheral edges of said cylind; thronghoi; a part of their extent being .-s rigid support disposed between sarl and the inner face of said cj ndi-cal bers, said support having an open side( therein forming a thread guide, the 'i the support being curved so as to gui thread into said eye, and a fixed thi-:a` g located outside of the j )eripher" of said lindrical members, said guides being so disposed that a thread pasen through the guides will be held in eng: cam faces of the controlling 2. In a sewing machine, a. sanft, a thr controlling member mounted on said shaft and having laterally projecting cylindrical members overhanging the shaft, the free ripheral edges of said cylinders throughout a part of their extent heir Vi-shaped, a rigid support disposed het en said shalt and the inner face of said cylindrical nu bers, Said support having an open sided Je therein forming a thread guide, the edge of the support being curved so as to guide the thread into said eye, a fixed thread guide located outside of the periphery of said f lindrical members, said guides being so f posed that a thread passing through the guides will be held in engagement with the cam faces of the controlling member, and a fixed cast off member having au inclined face located between said cylindrical members for engaging and stripping the thread from the cam faces.

3. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thr controlling member mounted on and having laterally projecting cylindr' members overhanging the shaft, the free pe` ripheral ed es of said cylinders throughout a part of t eir extent being cam-shaped, a rigid support disposed between said shaft and the inner face of said cylindrical members, said support having an open sided eye therein forming a thread guide, the ed ge of the sup ort being curved so as to guide the thread into said eye, a fixed thread guide located outside of the periphery of said cylindrical members, said guides being se disposed that a thread passing through the guides will be held in engagement with the cam faces of the controlling member, a lixed cast olf member having an inclined face lo` cated between said cylindrical members for engaging and stripping the thread from the cam faces, and a retaining member for retaining the thread after it is stripped from the cam-shaped controlling faces.

4. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft and having laterally projecting cylindrical members overhan ging the shaft, the free peripheral edges of said cylinders throughout a part'of'theirextent being camshaped, a'"

rigidly fixed guide located within the pe riphery of said cylindrizal members, a lixed thread guide located outside of the periphery of said cylindrical members, said guides` being so disposed that a thread passing through the guides will be held in engage ment with the cam faces of the controlling member, and means for supporting said inner stationary thread guide whereby the same may be adjusted angularly of the shaft about the axis thereof.

5. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling member mounted cn said shaft and having laterally projecting cylindrical members overhanging the shaft, the free peripheral edges of said cylinders throughout a part of their extent being cam-shaped, a rigidly fixed guide located within the periphery of said cylindrical members, a fixed thread guide located outside of the periphi ery of said cylindrical members, said guides heilig so disposed that a thread passing through the guides will be held in engagement with the cam faces of the controlling member, a sleeve mounted on the shaft within said thread controlling member, means for holding the sleeve from rotation, and means attached to the sleeve for supporting said inner thread guide whereby said thread guide may be shifted angular-ly about the sleeve.

6. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft and having laterally projecting cylindrical members overhanging the shaft, the free peripheral edges of said cylinders throughout a part of their extent being cam-shaped, a rigidly fixed guide located within the periphery of said cylindrical members, a l'xed thread guide located outside of the periphery of said cylindrical members, said guides being so disposed that a thread l ing through the guides will be held in engagement with the cam faces of the controlling member, a fixed cast olf member having an inclined face located between said cylindrical members for engaging and stripping the thread from the cam faces, a sleeve mounted on the shaft within said controlling member, means for holding the sleeve from rotation, and a supporting base attached to the sleeve and carrying the cast olf member and the inner thread guide, said base being attached to said sleeve so that it may be adjusted axially of the sleeve and also angularly about the sleeve.

7. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft and having laterally projecting cylindrical members overhanging the shaft, the free pcripheral edges of said cylinders throughout a part of their extent being cam-shaped, arigidly fixed guide located within the periphery of said cylindrical members, a xed thread guide located outside of the `periphery of said cylindrical members, said guides being so disposed that a thread passing through the guides will be held in engagement with the cam faces of the controlling member, an arm supporting said outer thread guide, a bracket on which said arm is mounted, and means for securing the arm to said bracket so that said arm may be adjusted in the direction of its length and transversely of the axis of rotation of the controlling element.

8. In a. sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft and having laterally projecting cylindrical members overhanging the shaft, the free pe ripheral edges of said cylinders throughout a part of their extent being cam-shaped, a rigidly fixed guide located within the periphery of said cylindrical members, a fixed thread guide located outside of the periph ery of said cylindrical members, said guides being so ldisposed that a thread passing through the guides will be held in envagement with the cam faces of the cont-rolling member, means for supporting said inner thread guide whereby the same may be adjusted angularly about the axis of rotation ofthe controlling member, and means for supporting said outer thread guide whereby the same may be adjusted in a direction transversely of the axis of said rotating thread controlling member.

9. ln a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft and including a cylindrical flange, with one edge thereof shaped to form thread take-up cams, a fixed guide located within said cylindrical flange, means for supporting the same whereby it may be adjusted angularly about the axis of rotation of the controlling member, and a fixed thread guide disposed outside of said flange, said thread guides directing the thread so that the same is engaged by the cam-shaped edge of the cylindrical flange.

l0. In a sewing machine, a shaft, a thread controlling member mounted on said shaft and including a cylindrical flange, with one edge thereof shaped to form thread take-up cams. a fixed guide located within said cylindrical flange, means for supporting the same whereby it may be adjusted angularly about the axis of rotation of the controlling member, a fixed thread guide disposed outside of said flange, said thread guides directing the thread so that the same is engaged by the cam-shaped edge of the cylindrical flange, a cast 0E member and a retaining member as- JAMES R. MOFFATT. 

